, Mr. Gresham, that you will be able to give me a few hours to
think of this." Mr. Gresham's face fell, for, in truth, he wanted an
immediate answer; and though he knew from experience that Secretaries
of State, and First Lords, and Chancellors, do demand time, and will
often drive very hard bargains before they will consent to get into
harness, he considered that Under-Secretaries, Junior Lords, and the
like, should skip about as they were bidden, and take the crumbs
offered them without delay. If every underling wanted a few hours to
think about it, how could any Government ever be got together? "I am
sorry to put you to inconvenience," continued Phineas, seeing that
the great man was but ill-satisfied, "but I am so placed that I
cannot avail myself of your flattering kindness without some little
time for consideration."

"I had hoped that the office was one which you would like."

"So it is, Mr. Gresham."

"And I was told that you are now free from any scruples,--political
scruples, I mean,--which might make it difficult for you to support
the Government."

"Since the Government came to our way of thinking,--a year or two
ago,--about Tenant Right, I mean,--I do not know that there is any
subject on which I am likely to oppose it. Perhaps I had better tell
you the truth, Mr. Gresham."

"Oh, certainly," said the Prime Minister, who knew very well that
on such occasions nothing could be worse than the telling of
disagreeable truths.

"When you came into office, after beating Mr. Daubeny on the Church
question, no man in Parliament was more desirous of place than
I was,--and I am sure that none of the disappointed ones felt
their disappointment so keenly. It was aggravated by various
circumstances,--by calumnies in newspapers, and by personal
bickerings. I need not go into that wretched story of Mr. Bonteen,
and the absurd accusation which grew out of those calumnies. These
things have changed me very much. I have a feeling that I have been
ill-used,--not by you, Mr. Gresham, specially, but by the party; and
I look upon the whole question of office with altered eyes."

"In filling up the places at his disposal, a Prime Minister, Mr.
Finn, has a most unenviable task."

"I can well believe it."

"When circumstances, rather than any selection of his own, indicate
the future occupant of any office, this abrogation of his patronage
is the greatest blessing in the world to him."

"I can believe that also."

"I